Clapper type relay with improved armature



Sheet R. E. BELL CLAPPER TYPE RELAY WITH IMPROVE/D ARMATURE April 8, 1969 y Filed Jung 12, i967 F IG.

AGENT K APlul 8; r19,6 9 R. E. BELL 3,437,962

, `CLAPPE1JR `'IYPEVRELAY WITH IMPROVED ARMATURE Fi1ed'June-12', 1967 'f .sneer Z of 2 Flc-1.6

INVENTOR.

RICHARD E. BELL AGENT ,U.S. Cl. 335-270 United States Patent O ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A clapper type relay having an armature with a flange at one end extending into a slot housing formed by the free end of the supporting leg and a bracket connected thereto. The armature is limited to pivotal movement by limited movement of its flange in the slot housing which includes a stop provided by a lip flange ofthe bracket which is engaged by the flange in the housing to limit pivotation of the armature away from the relay core. A leaf spring is connected at one end to the armature, extends axially towards the armature flange and diverges from the armature, and has a tail portion space outwardly of the supporting leg with the free end thereof interlocked with an arm means extending from said bracket thus retaining the spring means tensioned for biasing the armature to pivot away from the relay core and to urge the flange into the slot housing.

This invention relates generally to electromagnetic relays of the clapper type and more particularly to improved armature hinge mounting and spring biasing means therefor.

Many and various means have been used to pivotally support a clapper type armature on a relay frame and to prevent inadvertent dislodging, to limit pivotal movement and to spring bias these armatures. Such arrangements normally add substantially to the cost of the relays in which they are embodied, provide additional manufacturing and assembly problems, and present areas subject to possible misalignment and malfunction.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a relay with a clapper type armature having means comprising relatively few parts of uncomplicated construction for pivotally supporting, biasing and preventing inadvertent dislodging of the armature.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the foregoing relay which is of rugged construction, substantially easy to assemble and relatively free from malfunction.

And another object of the present invention is to provide the foregoing relay in which as many parts as possible for accomplishing armature pivotation, biasing and retention are multi-purpose components.

The present invention contemplates a combination in a relay comprising frame piece means providing a base leg portion and a supporting portion extending from said leg portion; said portions being disposed in end to end relationship and substantially perpendicular to one another; an electromagnetic core connected at one end to said leg portion and extending therefrom substantially parallel to and spaced from said supporting portion; an armature of magnetic material overling said core and Aforming at one end thereof a separable interconnection with the end of said supporting portion opposite from said base leg portion; said formed interconnection supporting said armature for pivotation toward and away from said core, and limiting the maximum distance said armature is permitted to pivot away from said core; spring means biasing said armature to pivot away from said core Patented Apr. 8, 1969 rice and to interconnect with the end of said supporting portion, and having one end connected to said armature intermediate said core and interconnection and on the side of said armature opposite from said core; said spring means having an intermediate portion extending from the connected spring end toward said interconnection and diverging from said armature, and a tail portion extending lfrom said intermediate portion and terminating in a free end thereof; sail tail portion being disposed substantially perpendicular to said intermediate portion and spaced from said supp-orting portion on the Side thereof opposite from said core when said spring means is untensioned; and said supporting portion and the free end to be construed as defining the limits of the invention.

FIGURE l is a side elevational view of a relay, with its coil energized, made in accordance with the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view of the relay of FIGURE 1 as seen by viewing the spring end thereof,

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, and with the relay coil de-energized,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to a portion of FIGURE 3 illustrating the armature pivoted a maximum distance from the coil by the :biasing spring,

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the armature assembly of the relay,

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view, similar to FIG- URE l, of a modied form of relay made in accordance with the present invention, and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view, similar to FIGURE 5, of the armature assembly of the modified relay.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGURES l to 5, a relay 10 made in accordance with the present invention has an L-shaped frame piece or member 11 of magnetic material providing a base leg portion 12 and a supporting leg portion 13 substantially perpendicular to one another. An electromagnet coil 14 is provided with a core 15 which is exposed at its upper end and is connected at its lower end to the base leg portion 12 of frame 11. The supporting leg portion 13 of frame 11 extends upwardly spaced from the side of coil 14 substantially parallel to core 1S and terminates below the exposed end surface of the core.

A bracket member 20 is connected by suitable fastening means 2'6 well known in the art, in this instance by screws, to the side of supporting leg 13 opposite from coil 14 which together provide a supporting portion or assembly for an armature 31. Bracket 20 at its upper end has a pair of spaced end flanges 22 each with a seat recess or surface 23, and a central lip flange 21 disposed therebetween. Flanges 22 are spaced from each other, as are surfaces 23, laterally relative to supporting leg portion 13. Flange 21 is angled away or diverges from supporting leg 13 to provide a space therebetween of predetermined width at a level which lies in a plane common to the horizontal surfaces of seat recesses 23. A horizontal arm 24 at one end is connected to or is unitary with the bottom of bracket 20, and is spaced outwardly from supporting leg 113. Arm 24 is provided with a retaining frnger or projection 25 which extends inwardly 3 therefrom toward coil 14 and is aligned on a plane (line 3-3 of FIGURE 2) which passes through the centers of and bisects core 15y and bracket 20. The face of arm 24 at the base of projection 25 angles forwardly or is arcuate for point contact as best shown in FIGURE 5.

An armature and spring assembly is responsive to the magnetic state of coil 14 and core 15, and is provided with a contact 34 which is moved into and out of engagement with a fixed contact 17 mounted on an insulated support 16. It should be understood that while a preferred arrangement of contacts 34 and 17 is shown and described, no limitation of the present invention is intended thereby. A single contact operable between a pair of fixed contacts or operable with a single fixed contact oppositely to operation of contacts 34 and 17, or multiple contact sets may be provided without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The armature assembly 30 is provided with an armature 31 of magnetic material in the form of a plate which has at one end a leg flange 32 disposed perpendicular thereto or in a plane substantially normal to the plane of the plate. The leg or armature flange 32 is disposed between the supporting leg portion 13 and lip flange 21 with its free end, preferably formed as a knife edge, engaging the seat recesses or surfaces 23 adjacent leg portion 13, and is retained against lateral displacement by the pair of spaced end flanges 22. The armature 31 extends axially from flange 32 and overlies core 15 at its other or free end.

Thus, the free end of the supporting leg portion 13 and the adjacent end of bracket 20 provide a slot housing for armature flange 32 with surfaces 23 defining the bottom of the housing and engaged by the end of the armature flange, and end flanges 22 defining the ends of the slot housing. Lip flange 21 engages the edge of flange 32 in contact with surfaces 23 and prevents movement of such edge away from the supporting leg portion 13. To obtain such desired spacing, lip flange 21 diverges from leg portion 13 at a predetermined angle, and provides a stop which is engaged by the side of the armature flange 32 as it pivots on surfaces 23 to limit the pivotation of armature 31 away from core 15, if not otherwise restrained.

Suitable fastening means 37, which in this instance is shown as a rivet but is not limited thereto, is provided to connect, as a stack, one end of each of a biasing spring 40, a spring contact arm 33 and a contact arm stop 36 to the armature 31 at a point intermediate core 15 and flange 32. The spring contact arm 33 extends axially from its connected end, past the free end of plate 3'1 and terminates in -a free end to which is connected the movable contact 34. The contact arm stop 36 extends axially from its connected end, overlies spring contact arm 33 and terminates in a free end adjacent to and short of contact 34.

Spring 40 preferably is a flat wire or leaf type spring with an end portion 41 which is the spring end connected by rivet 37 to armature 31 and underlies the connected end of `the contact arm 33 which is spaced thereby from the armature. To prevent relative rotation between the various members interconnected by rivet 37, contact arm 33 may extend axially past the rivet and away from contact 34, and terminates in a finger or projection which extends through aligned openings in armature 31 and biasing spring 40 as are then provided therefor, as shown.

The biasing spring 4()y extends axially from its end portion 41 in the opposite direction from arm 33 and stop 36, and has a tail portion 43 which is to be engaged and retained at its free end by the finger or projection 25 extending from arm 24. An intermediate portion 42 of spring 40 extends from end portion 41 angling away or diverging from armature 31 and terminating in a bend or radius from which the tail portion 43 extends. Thus, the bend of the intermediate portion 42 is spaced from the intersection of the armature 31 and its flange 32.

With the spring 4l) in its free or untensioned state the tail portion 43, which has an opening 44 in its free end, is substantially normal to the intermediate portion 42 and diverges from the flange 32. With leg flange 32 disposed in the slot housing and retained between leg portion E13 and bracket 20, the free end of the tail portion 43 of spring 40 is positioned between the frame 11 and arm 24 to tension spring 4l) which biases armature member 31 to pivot away from core 15. The free end of the tail portion 43 engages and is retained by arm 24 and the projection 25 extends into the opening 44 and prevents the tail portion 43 from moving axially in the direction of the armature 31.

With coil 14 de-energized the tensioned spring 40 will bias the armature assembly 30 to pivot on the flange 32 moving armature 31 away from core 15 and contact 34 into engagement with contact 17, as shown in FIGURE 3. lf armature assembly 30 is not constrained by a fixed contact 17, spring 40 will bias armature 31 to further pivot until armature flange 32 is flush against lip flange 21 and retained thereby. Energizing coil 14 provides a magnetic force attracting armature 31 to abut or engage the exposed or free end of core 15 due to pivoting, against the bias of spring 40, of armature 31 on flange 32 which moves Contact 34 out of engagement with fixed contact 17.

The supporting leg portion 13 of frame 11 with the lip flange 21 and spaced end flanges 22 of bracket 20 form a slot housing to receive and retain flange 32, and cooperate to limit the armature flange therein to only pivotal movement which prevents armature assembly 30 from cocking or moving across core 15 and out of alignment. With the tail portion 43 restrained by arm 24 and finger 25 extending into opening 44, upward movement of armature assembly 30 tending to move the flange 32 out of the formed slot housing therefor and away from seat surfaces 23 would tend to close the gap between the armature 31 and the intermediate spring portion 42 and further tension spring 4b* to provide an increased bias against such movement.

Referring now to FIGURES 6 and 7, a modified relay is provided with a I-shaped frame member 111 having a bight or base portion 112 on which is mounted coil 14 and its core 15. On one end of base portion 112, a supporting leg portion 113 is provided which corresponds to leg portion 13 of relay 10 while a shorter leg portion or flange 113:1 is provided at the other end of the base leU portion for connection thereto of the insulated support 16.

A modified bracket is connected to leg portion 113 by screws 26 and has a lip flange 121, spaced end flanges 122 and seat recesses or surfaces 123 corresponding to lip flange 21, end flanges 22 and seat recesses 23, respectively, of bracket 20. Arm 124 of bracket 120 has a spring receiving recess or slot 125 instead of the projection 25 extending from arm 24.

The modified armature assembly has a contact arm stop 136 which has an offset adjacent its connected end and converges toward a spring contact arm 131 instead of having the inverted Vshaped deformation of stop 36. The modied biasing spring 140 has a spur or projection 144 extending from its tail portion 143 to engage the bottom of the arm 124 instead of the opening 44 of spring 40 for receiving finger 25. Finally, spring contact arm 131 is now unitary with the connected end portionl 141 of biasing spring 140. It should be noted that to provide an adequate electrical connection the interlock between the biasing spring 40 or 140 and the arm 24 or 124 may be preferably soldered.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Various changes may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as the same will now be understood by those skilled in the art.

I claim: 1. In a relay, the combination comprising: frame piece means providing a base leg portion and a supporting portion extending from said leg portion; said portions being disposed in end to end relationship and substantially perpendicular to one another; an electromagnetic core connected at one end to said leg portion and extending therefrom substantially parallel to and spaced from said supporting portion; an armature of magnetic material overlying said core vand forming at one end thereof a separable interconneet-ion with the end of said supporting portion opposite from said base leg portion; said lformed interconnection supporting said armature for pivotation toward and away from said core, and limiting the maximum distance said armature is permitted to pivot away from said core; `spring means biasing said armature to pivot away from said core and to interconnect with the end of said supporting portion, and having one end connected to said armature intermediate said core and interconnection and on the side of said armature opposite from said core; said spring means having an intermediate portionextending from the connected spring end toward said interconnection and diverging from said armature, and a tail portion extending from said intermediate portion and terminating in a free end thereof: said tail portion being disposed substantially perpendicular to said intermediate portion and spaced from said supporting portion on the side thereof opposite from said core when said spring means is untensioned; and said supporting portion and the -free end of said tail portion having means for interlocking to retain said tail portion substantially parallel to said supporting portion and to tension said spring means. 2. The relay in accordance with claim 1, wherein: said supporting portion comprises a supporting leg portion and Ia bracket connected to the side of said supporting leg portion opposite `from said core; said supporting leg portion and said bracket forming a slot housing therebetween open on one end facing `away from said base leg portion; and said armature having a flange at the one end thereof which is substantially perpendicular thereto and is disposed in said formed slot housing to provide the interconnection between said armature and said supporting portion. 3. The relay in accordance with claim 2, wherein said means for interlocking comprises:

an arm at one end thereof extending from the end of the bracket opposite from the slot housing, and being spaced from and disposed laterally relative to said supporting leg portion; the free end of said tail portion having an opening therethrough, and engaging and being retained by said arm thereby retaining said spring means tensioned for biasing said armature to pivot away from said core; and said arm having a projection extending through the opening in said free end and toward said supporting leg portion and preventing said tail portion from moving toward said armature thereby retaining said spring means tensioned for biasing said armature flange into said slot housing. 4. The relay in accordance with claim 2, wherein said means for interlocking comprises:

an arm at one end thereof extending from the end of the bracket opposite from the slot housing, and being spaced from and disposed laterally relative to said supporting leg portion; said arm having a slot therein, open toward said supporting leg portion, receiving and retaining said free end portion and retaining said spring means tensioned thereby for biasing said armature to pivot away from said core; and

said free end having a projection therefrom engaging the side of said arm facing away from said bracket;

said projection preventing said tail portion from moving toward said armature and retaining said spring means tensioned thereby for biasing said armature flange into said slot housing.

5. The relay in accordance with claim 2, wherein the end portion of said bracket, ladjacent the lend of said supporting leg portion forming said slot housing therebetween, comprises:

a pair of end flanges spaced from one another providing the end of said slot housing;

said end flanges being spaced laterally relative to said supporting leg portion;

a pair of spaced surfaces disposed on the same plane providing the bottom of said slot housing engaged -by said armature tiange;

said surfaces being spaced laterally relative to said supporting leg portion, each surface extending Ifrom a different one of said pair of end anges toward the other of said surfaces; and

a lip flange disposed between said spaced surfaces and spaced from said supporting leg portion to receive said armature tiange therebetween and preventing the end of such flange which engages said spaced `surfaces from movement on said surfaces away from said supporting leg portion.

6. The relay in accordance with claim 2, wherein the end portion of said bracket, adjacent the end of said supporting leg portion forming said slot housing therebetween, comprises:

'a pair of end flanges spaced from one another providing the end of said slot housing;

said end flanges being spaced laterally relative to said supporting leg portion;

a pair of spaced surfaces disposed on the same plane providing the bottom of said slot housing engaged by said armature flange;

said surfaces being spaced laterally relative to` said supporting leg portion, each surface extending from a different one of said pair of end flanges toward the other of said surfaces; and

a lip flange extending between said surfaces and diverging away from said supporting leg portion at a predetermined angle thereby providing a predetermined space therebetween for said armature iiange;

said lip ange limiting the end of the armature flange engaging said spaced surfaces to movement thereon for pivotation of said armature and providing a stop engaged by the side of said armature ange to limit pivotation of said armature away from said core.

7. The relay in accordance with claim 6, wherein said means for interlocking comprises:

an arm at one end thereof extending from the end of the bracket opposite from the slot housing, and being spaced from and disposed laterally relative to said supporting leg portion;

the free end of said tail portion having an opening therethrough, and engaging and being retained by said arm thereby retaining said spring means tensioned for biasing said armature to pivot away from said core; and

said arm having a projection extending through the opening in said free end and toward said supporting leg portion and preventing said tail portion from moving toward said armature thereby retaining said spring means tensioned for biasing said armature ange into said slot housing.

8. The relay in accordance with claim 6, wherein said means for interlocking comprises:

an arm at one end thereof extending from the end of the bracket opposite from the slot housing, and being spaced from and disposed laterally relative to said supporting leg portion;

said arm having a slot therein, open toward said suppor-ting leg portion, receiving and retaining said ree end portion and retaining said spring means tensioned thereby for biasing said armature to pivot away from said core; and

said free end having a projection therefrom engaging the side of said arm facing away from said bracket;

said projection preventing said tail portion from moving toward said armature and retaining said spring means tensioned thereby for biasing said armature flange into said slot housing.

9. The relay in accordance with claim 6, further comprising:

at least one spring arm connected at one end to said armature and extending axially therefrom past the end of said armature opposite from the flange thereof;

a Contact connected to the end of said spring arm opposite `from the connected end thereof for movement into and out of engagement with at least one fixed contact by pivotation of said armature.

10. The relay in accordance with claim 9, wherein:

said spring arm is unitary with said biasing spring means; and

a supporting flange extending at oneend from the end of said base leg portion opposite from said supporting leg portion;

said supporting flange extending substantially parallel to and in the same direction as said supporting leg portion;

an insulated mounting means connected to said supporting iiange; and

at least one contact connected to and supported by said insulated mounting means. t

References cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Gruner et al. 335-279 XR G. HARRIS, Primary Examiner. 

